Agenda item

i.  Approved the outcome of an open competitive tender process for the procurement of the Health Visiting and School Nursing services 0-19 Healthy Child programme (and up to 25 years for SEND);

ii.  Approved the award of the contract to bidder ‘HRCG Care Services Limited’ to commence from 1st October 2024. The contract will be for a period of three years, with an option to extend for a period of up to 24 months at a value of £2,910,034 per annum, and total contract value of £14,550,170  over the five-year contract period;

iii.  Approved the further award of a £174,000 per annum to bidder HCRG Care Services Limited as a transformational fund for HCRG to utilise. The additional funding is allocated as part of the Public Health ring fenced grant. These funds will be used to support collaborative work and more integrated delivery at individual, community and population level whilst contributing to the Authority’s starting well priorities for improving health outcomes for children and young people and reducing inequalities below:

·  Decrease the attainment gap between all children and the bottom 20% at Early Years Foundation Stage

·  Reduce the number of Reception and Year 6 aged children classified as obese

·  Improve immunisations rates amongst young people; and

·  Improve oral health amongst children.

The Lead Member for Equalities, Public Health and Public Protection introduced a report that sought approval to award the Health Visiting and School Nursing services for 0-19 years in line with the national Health Child Programme (and up to 25 years for SEND).  The proposed contract award to a preferred bidder followed an open procurement process in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

The current contract for health visiting and school nursing would end on 30th September 2024. Re-commissioning the current service was an opportunity to reevaluate current systems whilst being innovative in learning from other providers and commissioners of these services.  Local Authorities had mandated responsibilities under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to ensure the delivery of universal and targeted Healthy Child Programme to the whole child population. Universal and targeted public health services provided by health visiting and school nursing teams were crucial to improving the health and wellbeing of all children and young people.

It was noted that the Cabinet had previously agreed to explore joint commissioning across Berkshire East, however, an agreement on potential collaboration had not been reached and each authority had therefore moved forward individually on their contracting arrangements.  The recommissioning of the Health Visiting and School Nursing Service would enable Slough Borough Council (SBC) to update the service model offer in line with the modernised Healthy Child Programme (HCP).  The new model had four levels of service – universal, targeted, specialist and community.

The proposal was to award the contract to ‘HRCG Care Services Limited’ from 1^st October 2024.  Details of the tender process were included in the Part II appendix which was considered by the Cabinet in taking the decision during the meeting without disclosing any of the exempt information.  The proposed cost was £2.9m per annum and would be let for three year with an option to extend for a further two years.  The funding was allocated from the ring-fenced Public Health Grant.

Lead Members asked about the contract management and key performance indicators.  The Director of Public Health responded that data quality had been an important consideration in the re-commissioning process both in terms of contract monitoring and crucially in whether the service was delivering for Slough residents.  The Cabinet emphasised the importance of  managing the potential risks of transition between the current and future provider and Officers explained the steps being taken.

At the conclusion of the discussion the recommendations were agreed.

Resolved –

(a)  That the outcome of an open competitive tender process for the procurement of the Health Visiting and School Nursing services 0-19 Healthy Child programme (and up to 25 years for SEND) be approved;

(b)  That the award of the contract to bidder ‘HRCG Care Services Limited’ to commence from 1st October 2024 be approved. The contract would be for a period of three years, with an option to extend for a period of up to 24 months at a value of £2,910,034 per annum, and total contract value of £14,550,170 over the five-year contract period;

(c)  That the further award of a £174,000 per annum to bidder HCRG Care Services Limited as a transformational fund for HCRG to utilise be approved. The additional funding was allocated as part of the Public Health ring fenced grant. These funds would be used to support collaborative work and more integrated delivery at individual, community and population level whilst contributing to the Authority’s starting well priorities for improving health outcomes for children and young people and reducing inequalities below:

·  Decrease the attainment gap between all children and the bottom 20% at Early Years Foundation Stage

·  Reduce the number of Reception and Year 6 aged children classified as obese

·  Improve immunisations rates amongst young people; and

·  Improve oral health amongst children.